Jammers Int. Weekend League, Season 12
Game 1, 28.11.15

ENTOURAGE BBALL INC vs. IFS VIKINGS: 79 – 59

Opening night of the Jammers League season saw the return of the IFS Vikings to league play and the introduction of Entourage Bball’s new team uniforms and roster additons.

IFS, normally a stacked opponent, were undermanned, having only 6 players at their disposal. Entourage on the other hand had a full team to count on. New additions at Point Guard (Chi) and Small Forward (Dave K.) were on hand as well as most of last season’s champions.

Defending Champs, Entourage Bball 2015/16.
From left: Chi, Sinan, Terence, Dave, Ronnie, Tony, Tolga, Sébastien, Mark, Dave K, Alex & Evan

The dreaded Saturday night 7pm timeslot proved to be no obstacle for Team Entourage who got off to a flying start against their old rivals. Crisp passing and solid scoring saw Entourage open up an 11-5 lead early in the first quarter.
The starting unit of Evan, Terence, Ronnie, Séb and Tony played strong defense, giving IFS only one-shot possessions by dominating the defensive glass.

Evan: hustling and bustling

It was the 2nd rotation guys who played with a much needed burst of energy though, entering the game midway through the 1st quarter and pulling away from their opponents with fastbreak points, timely 3 point shots and active hands on D.

Tolga with the up & under putback

Apart from a short stretch in the 2nd quarter, the Vikings never climbed out of the 10-15 point hole they dug themselves into. Over-reliant on outside shooting and constantly hounded by their opponent’s man-to-man defense, IFS were overwhelmed by the 3rd Quarter.

Transition passing: T-Rex to Ronnie to Tony

Post-game, team coach Dave emphasised the need to take better care of the ball; turnovers were a problem all game long, and to keep a level head after the 20-point blowout win. The undermanned opposing team was not a good measuring stick to gauge Entourage Bball Inc’s current form, but there were lots of positive signs in this season premiere.

Performance rating

Backcourt 
Lapses on offense, weak finishing at the rim and turnover-prone in 1st half.
Good defensive pressure on opposing guards, lots of steals, deflections and blocks
Standout players: Mark, Chi, Evan

Frontcourt 
Excellent rebounding, good play-making and passing. “One and done” defensive mentality.
Unfocused ball catching on Offense, need more scoring from the big crew.
Standout players: Tolga, Dave K, Tony

Overall 
Solid performance by the team with subpar scoring/converting at the rim. Great poise during opponents 2nd quarter run. Bench mob was the MVP of this game.
Standout players: Tolga and Chi